評論
打印
(33) On average, U.S. students study more topics within science and math than their international counterparts do. This creates an educational environment that "is a mile wide and an inch deep," Schmidt notes. （出現(xiàn)比較級時應(yīng)高度關(guān)注。第二句This指代第一句陳述的事實(shí)：平均說來，與國際同齡人相比，美國學(xué)生在科學(xué)與數(shù)學(xué)方面要學(xué)習(xí)更多的科目。A mile wide and an inch deep屬于形象用法、比喻考點(diǎn)。）
For instance, eighth graders in the United States cover about 33 topics in math versus just 19 in Japan. Among science courses, the international gap is even wider.（作者接著舉例說明美國的教育環(huán)境是a mile wide and an inch deep。）U.S. curricula for this age level resemble those of a small group of countries including Australia, Thailand, Iceland, and Bulgaria. Schmidt asks whether the United States wants to be classed with these nations, whose educational systems "share our pattern of splintered (支離破碎的) visions" but which are not economic leaders.
33. By saying that the U.S. educational environment is "a mile wide and an inch deep" (Line 2, Para. 5), the author means U.S. educational practice ________.
[定位與替換] 本題問作者對美國教育實(shí)踐的看法。根據(jù)上面兩段This指代的事實(shí)以及For instance后對a mile wide and an inch deep的進(jìn)一步解釋可以看出，美國教育注重所開科目的廣度而不重視深度，所以選D) scratches the surface of a wide range of topics只觸及了許多科目的表面。另外，education environment = educational practice。解題的關(guān)鍵是要跨段整合內(nèi)容，并準(zhǔn)確地識別指代和例證的含義。
[干擾項分析] A) lays stress on quality at the expense of quantity犧牲數(shù)量來強(qiáng)調(diào)質(zhì)量，和文中內(nèi)容相反；B) offers an environment for comprehensive education為全面綜合教育提供了環(huán)境，文中只提到科學(xué)和數(shù)學(xué)教育，并未出現(xiàn)全面綜合教育的概念；C) encourages learning both in depth and in scope鼓勵既深入又廣泛地學(xué)習(xí)，這只是美國教育改革的方向，與原文內(nèi)容不一致。
The new report "couldn’t come at a better time," says Gerald Wheeler, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association in Arlington.（本句是某個專家對the new report所作的評價。文章中出現(xiàn)概括性評價之后一般都會作進(jìn)一步的解釋說明、原因分析等，這是命題者較喜歡的考點(diǎn)。）（34）"The new National Science Education Standards provide that focused vision," including the call "to do less, but in greater depth." （The new National Education Standards和The new report屬于同義概念。）
34. The new National Science Education Standards are good news in that they will ________.
[定位與替換]本題問新的全國科學(xué)教育標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是個好消息的原因。根據(jù)關(guān)鍵詞The new National Education Standards和good news, 定位到第七段，本題所問的原因在第二句，注意but引起的強(qiáng)調(diào)，故選A) provide depth to school science education使學(xué)校的科學(xué)教育具有深度。解題的關(guān)鍵在于識別句子之間的關(guān)系。
[干擾項分析] B) solve most of the problems in school teaching解決學(xué)校教學(xué)的大部分問題，歪曲并夸張了文章原意；C) be able to meet the demands of the community能夠滿足社區(qū)需求，文中未提及，因為新的全國科學(xué)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是為了彌補(bǔ)教育體制的缺陷而制定的；D) quickly dominate U.S. educational practice迅速在美國的教育實(shí)踐中處于支配地位，文中也未提及，而是指出了實(shí)現(xiàn)這個新標(biāo)準(zhǔn)將面臨挑戰(zhàn)。
(35) Implementing the new science standards and their math counterparts will be the challenge, he and Schmidt agree, because the decentralized responsibility for education in the United States requires that any reforms be tailored and instituted one community at a time.（…因為美國的教育責(zé)任是分散的，它要求任何一項改革只能一次一個社區(qū)地量身定制。he and Schmidt agree是插入語，而且是專家觀點(diǎn)標(biāo)志詞，緊接著闡述了Implementing the new standards… will be the challenge的原因，考點(diǎn)設(shè)置和34題如出一轍，但相對簡單，因為because是明顯的因果關(guān)系考點(diǎn)標(biāo)志詞。）
In fact, Schmidt argues, reforms such as these proposed national standards "face an almost impossible task, because even though they are intellectually coherent, each becomes only one more voice in the babble (嘈雜聲)."
35. Putting the new science and math standards into practice will prove difficult because ________.
[定位與替換] 本題問實(shí)施新的科學(xué)和數(shù)學(xué)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)將會遇到困難的原因。put sth. into practice = implement, will prove difficult = will be the challenge, 所以本題可準(zhǔn)確定位到倒數(shù)第二段，最后選C) school districts are responsible for making their own decisions學(xué)區(qū)對自己的決定負(fù)責(zé)。該選項表達(dá)了文中“責(zé)任分散”的意思。
[干擾項分析] A) there is always controversy in educational circles在教育界一直存在爭論，B) not enough educators have realized the necessity for doing so沒有足夠的教育者意識到這樣做的重要性，D) many schoolteachers challenge the acceptability of these standards許多學(xué)校老師質(zhì)疑這些標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的可接受性，這三個選項文中均無信息支持。
例2、2000年1月四級閱讀第二篇
Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars.
30. What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted across roads?
A) They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles.
B) They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time.
C) They are falling out of use in the United States.
D) They are applicable only on broad roads
請用心體會initially 這個詞的內(nèi)涵，其實(shí)，你一看到這個詞，就應(yīng)該準(zhǔn)確predict后面可能會有考點(diǎn)，而且肯定會出現(xiàn)but, however, ultimately 一類的轉(zhuǎn)折、對比詞。答案B)。
